Hajj pilgrims offer Eid prayers at Makkah
Hajj pilgrims offer Eid prayers at Makkah
Hajj pilgrims offer Eid prayers at Makkah
Hajj pilgrims offer Eid prayers at Makkah

Hajj 2023: 'Overjoyed' pilgrims praise developments at holy sites


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Read the latest updates on the Hajj pilgrimage here

Pilgrims celebrated on the third day of the annual Hajj pilgrimage that began on Monday.

An enormous number of pilgrims traversed the holy sites in the last few days and have now completed most of their Hajj rituals.

"We are very lucky to be here, we feel like the chosen ones," said Saima Khan, from the UAE.

"It is hard and exhausting, but rewarding in the end. Today we just celebrated Eid with the women in our tent, and we are just resting it out," she added.

"We wished each other Eid Mubarak, wore new clothes in light colours – we are all wearing pastels, colours of the summer."

Last year, Saudi authorities allowed one million pilgrims to participate in Hajj. This year, the number exceeded 1.8 million.

Group of local pilgrims from Jeddah at Jamarat. Photo: Dr Hadir first on the left (she’s from Egypt resident of jeddah)
Group of local pilgrims from Jeddah at Jamarat. Photo: Dr Hadir first on the left (she’s from Egypt resident of jeddah)

"We did our official sacrifice early this morning. We are just happy to have accomplished our rites and to be resting in our air-conditioned tents," Ms Khan said.

Pilgrims who had performed Hajj before have said they are "very impressed" with the positive development of Hajj and the kingdom's security services and volunteers.

"When I compare today's Hajj, it is very different. We didn't have air conditioners, coolers or such tents before," India's former Hajj Committee chairman Salamat Ullah said.

"There are so many trees now! The health measures and staff are so good, the guards and police forces are commendable," he added.

"I am doing Hajj (again) after 15 years, there is a huge difference in the way Hajj authorities have developed the sites", Egyptian pilgrim Nada Youssef said.

"Most of all I am impressed by the security services here who are managing the large numbers.

"The soldiers were very helpful and very kind. They sprayed us with water all the time wearing a smile on their face," she added.

"Every group had its own time to use the train to be transported from one place to the other, which was a blessing," Dr Hadir Eldessouky, an Egyptian pilgrim who lives in Jeddah, said.

'Exhausted but overjoyed'

Pilgrims made their way from Muzdalifah to Jamarat in the early hours of Wednesday to complete the 'stoning of the devil' ritual.

"Jamarat was very well organized and smoothly going," Dr Eldessouky said.

"Though we lacked water a bit and we walked a long way, there were cold water tanks in the alley."

Jamarat is a three-pillar structure that symbolises the devil.

Saudi authorities have created an easier path to reach the structure in order to avoid overcrowding, stampeding and pilgrims getting hurt in the process.

"We collected a handful of pebbles and brought them with us to Jamarat, and once we finished stoning the devil we retired to our rooms," Aisha, a Pakistani pilgrim, said.

"We had mixed emotions, we were exhausted from the long journey but overjoyed that we had been able to complete the rituals of Hajj", she added, remarking that the ritual had been well organised.

"We just went to the first floor, did the stoning and moved on to make way for the next group of pilgrims," she said.

"There were wheelchairs and volunteers who took one sick lady all the way from the entrance to the finish."

Pilgrims will get a chance to rest in Mina on Wednesday after the stoning ritual.

"We are in Mina; our experience has been great in regards of our communication with guides and administrators, and we are given timely updates and procedures", said Nuvera, a Pakistani pilgrim, part of a group that brings UK- and US-based Pakistanis to Hajj every year.

Hajj pilgrims will need to perform one last circumambulation around the Kaaba, the Tawaf Al Ifadah, before they return to their home countries.

However, many pilgrims will choose to continue their journey after their pilgrimage and stay in Madinah, the site of the Prophet Mohammed's tomb.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

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Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

History's medical milestones

1799 - First small pox vaccine administered

1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery

1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases

1895 - Discovery of x-rays

1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time

1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

1953 - Structure of DNA discovered

1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place 

1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill

1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.

1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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All matches at the Harare Sports Club:

1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10

2nd ODI, Friday, April 12

3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14

4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16

UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

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THE SPECS

Engine: 4.4-litre V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 523hp

Torque: 750Nm

Price: Dh469,000

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).

Second leg

Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm

Games on BeIN Sports

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%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm

Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km

Price: from Dh362,500

On sale: now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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World Cricket League Division 2

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UAE fixtures

Thursday, February 8 v Kenya; Friday, February v Canada; Sunday, February 11 v Nepal; Monday, February 12 v Oman; Wednesday, February 14 v Namibia; Thursday, February 15 final

AT%20A%20GLANCE
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The Bio

Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees  (oats with chicken) is one of them

Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.

Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results

During her free time: I like to drink coffee - a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks

Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy

Advice to anyone who wants to be an ironman: Go for the goal. If you are consistent, you will get there. With the first one, it might not be what they want but they should start and just do it

The specs

Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder

Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT 

On sale: now

Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

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Updated: June 29, 2023, 4:34 AM